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Miami Herald
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Chaminade's Lopez and N. Broward Prep's Schwartz are Broward 3A-1A Athletes of the Year
Even before transferring to Chaminade-Madonna before last football season, junior Jasen Lopez was known for his versatile talents in both football and basketball. And at North Broward Prep, senior Alexa Schwartz has long established herself as a standout in basketball and track and field. Both athletes put together tremendous efforts for their respective teams this past season, which added to their impressive athletic resumes. And so, Lopez and Schwartz are the Miami Herald's Broward County Overall Athletes of the Year for Classes 3A-1A. Lopez, who had already enjoyed three fantastic seasons as a prolific wide receiver and shooting guard at True North Classical Academy in Miami, he took things up a notch this season upon his move north to Broward. Against a national schedule, Lopez caught 87 passes for over 1,300 yards and caught 14 touchdown passes while rushing for two more scores and returning a punt for a touchdown. Lopez, a 5-10, 165-pound receiver who is being recruited by several schools including Miami and Florida State, was a steady presence during a turbulent start to the Lions' football season. Eventually, Lopez was a big reason Chaminade kept its state championship streak going with its fourth in a row. He carried the momentum to the basketball court where he elevated Chaminade's program to secure its first ever bid in the BCAA Big 8 tournament. He then led the Lions to the Class 2A regional semifinals. 'This is very special,' Lopez said after the football team's state win. '...It's great for me being my first and for the guys who have been here, it's a four-peat. It's very special.' Schwartz etched her name in the state record books this past season in track, setting a new state meet record and winning the Class 2A state title in the javelin with a throw of 47.04 meters. Schwartz was a two-time state champion and three-time district champion in the event. On the basketball court, Schwartz heads to the college level as North Broward Prep's all-time leading scorer with over 1,000 points and single season assists leader. Schwartz, who recorded the school's first triple-double in a game. Schwartz, who was a Miami Herald Silver Knight nominee and this year's Broward Girls' Scholar-Athlete of the Year, was part of her school's Honor Roll every semester, and is a member of seven different National Honor Societies. Schwartz is heading to FSU after graduating with a 4.7 GPA and scoring a 30 on her ACT. BOYS' FINALISTS ▪ Brandon Bennett, American Heritage (football, track and field): Bennett played a huge role once again in leading the Patriots to their first state title since 2020 in football and followed that up with a strong performance in track and field, helping the Patriots' 400-meter relay win a state title and break a state meet record. ▪ Jonathan Pena, Westminster Academy (cross-country, track and field): Pena placed fourth at the Class 1A state championships in cross-country and ran the fastest time in the county (15:14). Pena, the Herald's Boys' Runner of the Year, was also a state qualifier in track in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters. ▪ Shon Abaev, Calvary Christian (basketball): Abaev earned McDonald's All-American honors and led the Eagles to a state championship and a top 5 national ranking. Abaev, the Herald's 3A-1A Boys' Basketball Player of the Year, averaged 20.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. ▪ Michael Mocco, Cardinal Gibbons (wrestling): Mocco proved to be one of the most dominant wrestlers in the nation once again as he went undefeated (43-0) and repeated as a state champion - this time in the 215-pound weight class. He was also the Herald's Broward Wrestler of the Year. GIRLS' FINALISTS ▪ Bradee Boyd, Calvary Christian (indoor and beach volleyball): After transferring to the Eagles, Boyd immediately made an impact as one of the top players in the state. Boyd, a 5-10 sophomore outside hitter and the Herald's 4A-1A Girls' Volleyball Player of the Year, totaled 488 kills, 274 digs and 415 receptions to lead the Eagles to the Region 4-3A semifinals. She also earned first team All-Broward honors in beach volleyball with teammate Vitoria Belfort, a junior, after leading that squad to regionals. ▪ Lydia Berent, Cardinal Gibbons (softball): Berent became an even more dominant pitcher this past season, going 20-6 with 243 strikeouts and a 1.11 ERA. Berent, a Stanford University commit, was also a force at the plate, hitting .500, three home runs, 11 doubles and scoring 39 runs. ▪ Isabella Sangha, Pine Crest (volleyball, basketball): Sangha was a prolific scorer in basketball and a strong presence on the Panthers' regional finalist volleyball team. Sangha averaged 27 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.6 steals per game in basketball and finished with 199 kills in volleyball to earn All-Broward second team honors.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
He changed laws and inspired youth. Now, this Miami Lakes grad is Harvard-bound
Former Miami Lakes Mayor Manny Cid still remembers the first time he met Maurits Acosta. He was a seventh grader with a pitch to prevent street flooding in the wake of Tropical Storm Eta. Cid told him to put it in writing. A week later, it landed in his inbox. Acosta organized support, presented before the town council, and defended the proposal at multiple hearings. It passed — modifying a 17-year-old ordinance which, according to Cid, has benefited dozens if not hundreds of households since its revision. 'Nobody questioned it until a seventh-grader said, 'We can do better,'' Cid said. 'That's civic leadership.' That same kid just graduated Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School on Tuesday and is now Boston-bound. He was accepted at Yale University, but he decided he wants to head to Harvard, a testament to the dedication of a student who made it his mission to show others the importance of being civically engaged. He's the pride of a community that just got out of his way and let him lead — even giving him an office inside his high school as a command center for his many projects and initiatives. At 18, Acosta's resumé is staggering: he served a one-year term as student advisor to the School Board of Miami-Dade County, served in multiple public service roles for the Town of Miami Lakes, and in 2022 launched a nonprofit, Virtuem Populo, dedicated to promoting civic engagement among youth across Florida. He was the 2025 Miami Herald Silver Knight recipient in Social Science. His alma mater, Miami Lakes Middle School, even named an award after him. ('He's a legend here,' said Miami Lakes Middle social studies teacher Lisa Deyarza, who helped Acosta organize the anti-flooding ordinance initiative.) Acosta worked on dozens of local initiatives and advised the mayor himself. Cid said Acosta's journey 'deserves a movie at some point,' and also offers a blueprint: Start in the classroom, expand to the school, then the community, county, and eventually the country. Born and raised in the Netherlands by his Cuban-born parents, Acosta moved to the U.S. at age 9. In the years since, he's woven himself into the civic fabric of Miami Lakes, driven by a blend of pride in his heritage and democratic idealism. A visit to Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School with Acosta quickly becomes a walk through his legacy. Ashwan Lawson, a security guard, greets him at the front desk with a laugh and a nickname: 'Marco Rubio!' The school has benefited from Acosta's ambition. Social studies teacher Rukayat Adebisi, who heads HML's legal studies program, first heard from Acosta in summer 2021 — weeks before he'd even started freshman year. Over the phone, he pitched her a vision: build the school its first-ever courtroom, a feature other schools had but HML lacked. 'He's telling me all his plans and I kept thinking, 'who is this kid telling me what we're about to do?'' Adebisi said. 'But I listened. I was like, 'Okay, we'll see where this goes.'' Once enrolled, Acosta successfully rallied a team of students to lobby the Miami Lakes Education Advisory Board and other entities, securing funding for the project along with a renovation of the school's planetarium. On Friday, four years later, the school is cutting the ribbon on its new courtroom. 'He's not a talker; he's a doer,' said Adebisi, who also serves on Virtuem Populo's board of directors. 'I think he challenges his peers to be better versions of themselves. I think that's his legacy.' Acosta's other feats at HML include starting a foodie club and launching the school's first-ever alumni association, which had its kickoff event earlier this month with over 100 in attendance, according to Acosta. 'Not to toot my own horn — but I feel like a lot of the work I've done, I've been able to bring up others with me,' Acosta said. By senior year, Acosta had three internship periods built into his schedule — time used for civic meetings, community events, and duties from his school board advisory role. Inside his office, which is nestled within the school's front office, walls are adorned with memorabilia: a proclamation from Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, framed photos with U.S. Senator Rick Scott and President Joe Biden and a Harvard tumbler beside a business cardholder. Among the keepsakes is a class assignment from a fellow Miami Lakes Middle School alum, declaring her dream: to become 'the next Maurits.' Acosta says his free time is limited — 'not a lot, but just enough.' He recently picked up golf ('not great at it,' he admits), and plans a summer trip to Nicaragua to meet the family of his girlfriend, Melany Alvarez, who's heading to Florida State University to study sociology. She preceded him as student body president and captained the dance team at HML. Are they HML's power couple? 'I think so, yeah. A little bit,' Acosta said. Acosta, who leaves for Boston in August, is unsure about where exactly his career path is headed. He's still considering whether he wants to study law or government at Harvard, but he said he's sure of one thing: 'I want to live a life dedicated to public service.' Asked about whether his name would one day appear on a Florida ballot, Acosta said 'maybe.' 'I definitely envision myself one day coming back to Miami and serving this community that's opened its doors to me and my family,' he said. Acosta's passion for public service is rooted, in part, by a sense of responsibility stemming from his family's experiences living in Cuba. Although his parents, Sergio and Anet, left Cuba decades ago, Acosta still has family in the country. His parents met in the Netherlands in the late 1990s, when his father was working as a radio journalist and producer. When his employer, Radio Netherlands, faced federal funding cuts, the family made the decision to move to U.S. The hardest part of emigrating was convincing the then 9-year-old Maurits, his father said, but the move ultimately 'went well for all of us, but especially for him.' 'I think the Phenomenon Maurits Acosta will continue to grow and expand.' Sergio Acosta said. 'I wait for it with curiosity. After all, he's only 18 years old.' He's already primed the next generation of Miami-Dade changemakers. At Virtuem Populo, the executive director-elect is Clint John Jr., a bespectacled, bowtie-wearing eighth grader got involved two years ago after cold-messaging Acosta. Within months, he was assistant deputy director. 'He saw something in me that I didn't see myself,' John said. 'To bring me into the organization — that right there was a changemaker for me.' Just like he brought John into the fold, Acosta has spent much of high school pushing his peers to take themselves seriously and take action. His message has been consistent: don't wait for permission — do the work. That spirit was on full display Tuesday night, when Acosta delivered his valedictorian speech at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School's graduation ceremony. Speaking to an audience of hundreds at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center at FIU, told his peers that they had 'proved to the world that greatness doesn't require privilege, only purpose.' 'We are students who speak Spanish in the hallway and dream of a better tomorrow,' Acosta said. 'We are the children of field workers, teachers, mechanics, nurses, undocumented laborers and silent heroes. And somehow, despite everything, we made it.' Do you know an unsung hero in South Florida? Nominate them in the form below. If you can't see the form, click here to fill it out.
Miami Herald
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
North Broward Prep's Alexa Schwartz is the Broward Girls' Scholar-Athlete of the Year
As senior Alexa Schwartz wraps up her high school career at North Broward Prep, she leaves as a record-setter, a leader and one of the school's all-time greats in two sports. Schwartz set a state meet record in track and field and became a state champion. She also helped resurrect a girls' basketball program, making them a playoff regular again while securing a place at the top of the school record book in multiple categories. Schwartz did all of this while excelling as a student as well, earning herself a scholarship to attend Florida State University. For her long list of accomplishments, Schwartz is the Miami Herald's Girls' Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Broward County. Schwartz is heading to FSU after graduating with a 4.7 GPA and scoring a 30 on her ACT. On the basketball court, Schwartz heads to the college level as North Broward Prep's all-time leading scorer with over 1,000 points and single season assists leader. Schwartz, who recorded the school's first triple-double in a game, was a Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-State selection and led the Eagles to the regional finals in 2023. That appearance broke a 12-year drought of not advancing to the regional playoffs. North Broward Prep made it back to regionals again this season, losing in the quarterfinals. Schwartz also excelled as the state's best javelin thrower. In an event, which was added as a regular event in state competition in recent years, Schwartz set a new state meet record earlier this month when she won the Class 2A state title with a throw of 47.04 meters. Schwartz was a two-time state champion and three-time district champion in the event. Schwartz was a Miami Herald Silver Knight nominee, was part of the school's Honor Roll every semester, and is a member of seven different National Honor Societies. Schwartz also became a leader at her school and in the community, volunteering over 700 hours as she was involved in several Jewish youth organizations as a teacher and mentor.
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Meet the 2025 Silver Knight winners
One student raised nearly $8,000 to help build clean water wells in rural Eswatini, an African country where families walk miles to get clean drinking water, often over rough terrain. Another created a program to support hospice workers by delivering more than 300 gifts to hospice nurses across South Florida. Another worked with Special Olympics to create sports programs that include kids with and without special needs, helping to create a culture of inclusion. Such were among the extraordinary accomplishments of the 30 Miami-Dade and Broward high school seniors who were honored Wednesday evening at the James L. Knight Center as Miami Herald/el Nuevo Silver Knight winners. Now in its 67th year, the Silver Knight Awards recognize the academic excellence and community service projects of South Florida high seniors in public and private schools. Previous winners have included Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who won the Silver Knight in Science in 1982 representing Palmetto High, and Ted Hendricks, a former UM standout and NFL Hall of Famer who won a Silver Knight in Athletics for Hialeah High in 1965. The newest U.S. Supreme Court justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson, won an Honorable Mention in Drama as a Palmetto High senior in 1988. All told, 1,525 students have won Silver Knight Awards since the first class was nominated in 1959. This year, 935 students in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties were nominated, representing 90 schools in Miami-Dade, 33 schools in Broward and 3 schools in Monroe. The students are judged by professionals in 15 disciplines: art, athletics, business, digital and interactive media, drama, English & literature, general scholarship, journalism, mathematics, music & dance, science, social science, speech, vocational technical and world languages. In addition to the 30 winners — 15 each in Miami-Dade and Broward — 90 other students were named Honorable Mentions. So, click on the stories below of the 30 Silver Knights in Miami-Dade and Broward. Their stories will inspire you and instill in you hope for the new generation of young people who are making a difference in the world — and in their communities.
Miami Herald
14-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
How to watch the Herald Silver Knight Awards that honor top high school students
The 67th annual Miami Herald/el Nuevo Herald Silver Knight Awards will be held live at 7 p.m. Wednesday to recognize the 'best of the best' among high school seniors in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. This year's ceremony, at the James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami, includes 935 students who were nominated from 93 Miami-Dade and 33 Broward public, charter and private schools. The students are judged by professionals in 15 disciplines: art, athletics, business, digital and interactive media, drama, English & literature, general scholarship, journalism, mathematics, music & dance, science, social science, speech, vocational technical and world languages. How to watch the live broadcast The event will be broadcast on the Miami Herald's YouTube page and Facebook page and on To watch a livestream of the ceremony, refresh those pages at 7 p.m. Wednesday when the event begins. What do Silver Knight winners receive? Silver Knight winners receive a $2,000 scholarship from the Herald Charities Foundation, in addition to 25,000 AmericanAdvantage miles, good for one round-trip ticket in the continental U.S., courtesy of American Airlines. They will also receive a medallion and the Silver Knight statue. Honorable Mentions receive a $500 scholarship and an engraved plaque.
